


Graveside Vigil

by HPFandom_archivist



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Angst, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Mystery, Suspense, Tragedy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2007-03-15
Updated: 2007-03-15
Packaged: 2018-10-01 12:48:01
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 833
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10190201
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HPFandom_archivist/pseuds/HPFandom_archivist
Summary: A visit to a graveyard gives a new perspective to life.





	

**Author's Note:**

> Note from SeparatriX, the archivist: this story was originally archived at [HP Fandom](http://fanlore.org/wiki/HP_Fandom_\(archive\)), which was closed for health and financial reasons. To preserve the archive, I began manually importing its works to the AO3 as an Open Doors-approved project in August 2016. I e-mailed all creators about the move and posted announcements, but may not have reached everyone. If you are (or know) this creator, please contact me using the e-mail address on [HP Fandom collection profile](http://archiveofourown.org/collections/hpfandom/profile).

J. K. Rowling owns Harry Potter. I am not she, I do not own.

A/N: I am beginning to hate my little plot bunny. Well, at least it let me sleep in this morning. Anyone have the name of a good exterminator?

A/N2: This was written some time ago. I am posting this while I continue to get my files transferred over from my old computer. It is slow going as I have to burn cd’s to transfer the information.

Unbeta’d

 

Graveside Vigil

The two men stood silently on the cold, windy hill on a dreary autumn morning. The wind and sky promised rain soon, but that somehow seemed to fit their mood. They had come on a pilgrimage of sorts. Though there was a body, there were still ghosts to be buried.

Staring at the gravestone they were lost in thought, but each was thinking on a similar vein. Both were contemplating the life and death of the Boy-Who-Lived. A child who had never had the chance at a happy childhood, who had been forced to live with hateful relatives, and who had arrived in the wizarding world at the tender age of 11 only to find the weight of that world pressed in on his thin shoulders. A child who had never really had the chance to live. 

Memories swirled as both remembered the child’s arrival in the Great Hall his first year at Hogwarts. Mesmerized by the grandeur and majesty that the old castle provided he had stared in wonder along with the rest of the first years at the enchanted ceiling and the floating candles lighting the large room. Then the long wait as the sorting hat seemed to be perplexed at where to place the boy. Finally, with a shout of ‘Gryffindor,’ the nervous looking boy was sorted. The feast arrived, along with more food than the bemused boy had ever seen in his entire life. Friends were made that day and the boy had thought that he had finally found home.

Alas, fate was not to be so kind to the young Savior-of-the-Wizarding-World. The Dark Lord seemed determined to find a way to destroy the slight boy, yet time and time again the boy found a way to thwart the plans of the scheming Lord Voldemort and his faithful followers. Time and again, the darkest wizard in centuries was bested by a mere boy. 

As if that were not enough, the Boy-Who-Lived often felt the wrath and venom of the potions master, Severus Snape. The man had been resolved to torment and hound the boy. Hatred had flared between the two and neither was willing to back down from the conflict. The boy had found within himself a reserve of strength along with his new abilities and the man was certain that the boy was nothing more than a reincarnation of the senior Potter. So over the course of the next few years the two had frequently butted heads. If either had ever found reason to admire or like the other, they had kept that to themselves.

The Boy-Who-Lived had to face the machinations of a wily old headmaster as well. Albus Dumbledore, while beneficent and wise, was also manipulative and cunning. One was never quite sure whether one was truly doing one’s own bidding or falling into another scheme of the headmaster’s. The young Savior-of-the-Wizarding-World had certainly had enough experience with the old wizard to know that one was always being led. Subtly, yes, but still maneuvered into courses of action that where never quite one’s own. But even with all that, it truly was difficult to dislike the barmy old man.

The wind picked up and fallen leaves stirred on the ground as the storm approached. The younger of the two men thought that the weather was somehow appropriate today. As the Boy-Who-Lived approached his age of majority, the Dark Lord attacked the great castle of Hogwarts, determined to destroy his adversary at last. Instead of a cowering young man, though, he had found a fearless warrior. The two had battled and curses had flown as Death Eaters and the forces of Light engaged in skirmishes around the Dark Lord and the Boy-Who-Lived. In the end though, only one had remained standing and the world had changed forever in that instant. In that moment the Boy-Who-Lived had finally died.

Tracing the name on the gravestone with a long finger, the younger man spoke, “Seems fitting somehow, doesn’t it, Sev, that the Boy-Who-Lived should be put to rest along with this monster?”

Dark eyes glanced over to his companion as the potions master mused over the question. “Yes, Harry, the Boy-Who-Lived is no more. Now you are finally free to be just Harry.”

The younger man smiled at his mentor and lover. “Yes, Sev. I am finally free to be just me.” Turning away from the gravestone, the two held hands as they retreated from the lonely grave of Tom Marvolo Riddle.

~The End~


End file.
